CAP Antibiotic Spectrum

A 44 year old

is seen in clinic for a cough x 10 days & shortness of breath on exertion. He is diagnosed with community-acquired pneumonia and sent

with amoxicillin

What common cause of CAP is covered with his current therapy?

A. M. pneumoniae

B. S. pneumoniae

C. C. pneumoniae

D. Legionella spp.

How did others respond?

Reveal the answer

Best Answer

S. pneumoniae

Explanation: Amoxicillin has good coverage of S. pneumoniae in the 🇺🇸

However it does not cover atypical organisms such as Mycoplasma spp, Chlamydia spp or Legionella spp. Atypicals cause 6-20% of CAP 🤯

2019 IDSA CAP Guidelines recommend amoxicillin monotherapy as an appropriate option in a patient without comorbidities.

However, particularly if our patient FAILS to improve, it’s important to recognize what coverage our prescribed regimen is missing 🔍

Don’t forget: atypicals can be a typical cause of CAP! 🩻